The Argus report had just
arrived at Cricket Australia
and the composition of the backroom staff was in flux as the tour began.

The two Tests were highly
dramatic with some superb individual performances but there was a strong
feeling that the series was far too brief.Cricket Australia
would would have preferred to play three matches rather than two; but this tour was beyond the requirements of
the Future Tours Programme and was made in recognition for South Africa agreeing to play a Boxing Day
Test in Australia
on its last two tours in 2005 and 2008.

The new fast bowler Pat Cummins
was clearly a star player but this tour proved too much for his back muscles
and he was rarely able to feature again in Australia’s Test eleven.

Michael Clarke led a most
successful tour:after winning the
one-day series his team recovered from a Test defeat at Cape
Town to draw the Test series with a extraordinary win at Johannesburg.

Troy
Cooley was named as interim coach after Tim Nielsen resigned in September
2011. This was a temporary appointment and he remained head coach of Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane. Mickey Arthur
was still coach at Western
Australia

UnavailableTim Paine had a broken finger ; Brad
Haddin had announced his retirement from Twenty20 internationals;John Hastings sustained an injury to his
right shoulder during traing and needed surgery.

Test team announced:17
October 2011

Not selected: Ben Hilfenhaus

Time between selection of limited-overs squad and departure from
Australia

11 days

(27 September -8 October)

Travel

SydneyQJohannesburg

The
Twenty/20 team, captained by Cameron White, flew out for South Africa on Saturday 8 October and arrived
in Cape Town
on Sunday.Cummins, O’Keefe, Smith,
Watson and Warner joined the group from India,
where they had been playing for New
South Wales in the Champions League T20.

Of the Australian
one-day squad, captain Michael Clarke and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin arrived
first. Other players completed their Sheffield Shield commitments before arriving
on Saturday 15 October

Time spent in South
Africa

44 days

(9 October - 22 November)

On-tour
selection

Andrew Hilditch (selector
on tour),Troy Cooley (coach - and appointed as an interim national selector),Michael Clarke (captain).

The Argus Review recommended that captains join the tour selection panel
for each match format.

Reinforcements

Brett
Lee had to withdrew from the T20 squad before the matches began because
appendicitis was diagnosed, and on 13 October announced he would be replaced
by Mitchell Marsh.

D A Warner

V

25

LHBopener

ODI

David Warner was brought back into
the side because Shaun Marshsuffered a back injury during the first Test.
Warner re-joined the tour party on Monday 14 November.

Ryan Harris (pain in right hip)
also flew home before the second Test..

Fixtures/Results

Cricket South
Africa announced the Test itinerary on 6
May 2011

a

⊕ Cape Town

South
Africa(1st T20)

Won 5 w

b

⊕ Johannesburg

South
Africa(2nd T20)

Lost 3 w

c

§ Centurion

South
Africa(1st ODI)

Won 93 r

d

§ Port Elizabeth

South
Africa(2nd ODI)

Lost 80 r

e

§ Durban

South
Africa(3rd ODI)

Won 3 w

f

Potchefstroom

South
Africa ‘A’

Won 7 w

g

CAPE TOWN

SOUTH AFRICAFirst Test

LOST 8
w

h

JOHANNESBURG

SOUTH AFRICASecond Test

WON 2
w

ϯ not first-class

⊕ T20 internationals

§one-day
internationals (Castle Lager

Time
spent in South Africa
before First Test:

31 days

(9 October - 9 November)

Test
appearances on tour

2-Clarke,Haddin,Hughes,Hussey,Johnson,Lyon,Ponting,Siddle,Watson

1-Cummins,Harris,Khawaja,Marsh.

0-

Highlights

•Michael Clarke scored 151 over the first two
days at Cape Town,
regarded as his best innings.

•Shane Watson (5-17) and Harris (4-33) then dismissed
South Africa
for only 96.

•However, Australia was shot out for 47,
their lowest total since Edgbaston in1902. The ninth wicket fell with their score
at 21 before the last wicket put together 26 more runs.

•Shane Watson combined with Phillip Hughes
for a 174-run opening stand at Johannesburg.

•At 18 Pat Cummins was the country's
second-youngest Test debutant after Ian Craig. He took 6 for 79 at Johannesburg and hit the
winning runs.